Beer: Reviews & Ratings

a - poured a two-fingers thick pinkish head into a tulip glass that left thick sheeting throughout. the body was a deep red.s - dark, yet slightly muted cherries.t - sour cherries with a hint of hard cherry candy.m - creamy smooth.d - very nice, easy sipper. not mouth-puckering sour (which i like) so it seems like it would be a pretty accessible sour for newbies. (369 characters)

A big pastel cherry whipped mousse briefly drifts above the dark ruby red ale, arresting at a thin blanket covering. This one is pristinely clear, without any active carbonation, and puts up a thin film with each swirl, but no lace.

The aroma is that of a rich red wine, high in fresh fruit and tart cherry. Exactly what I had hoped for, and think this style strives to achieve. Complex undertones reveal the earthiness of damp Autumn woodland, as it warms.

Oud Beersel is tart, without the whole mouth pucker typical of this style. The cherry flavor is forward and clear, with high acidity. Some saltiness shows up in the finish. While there is a sweet side, it is kept well in check.

A bone dry beer with a medium body and light astringency and prickly carbonation. The alcohol is greater than anticipated, and interesting, given that it is labeled as 4%.

A well done beer, fits my Ommagange Tulip glass, and is probably sessionable for some, but for me this style is intended to be a punctuation. Either as an aperitif or in place of a cocktail, this will easily cut any fatty cheese. A ton of character, Oud Beersel is my opinion of a stunning example of what this style can achieve. Unpretentious and impeccably crafted, this is a gastronomical work of art. (1,266 characters)

On tap at Camping in Beersel. Dark almost blood red with a pink cherry froth. Aroma of sweet fresh cherries, finish hints at red wine fruit and just a touch of lambic sourness. Flavor too is dominated by freshly picked cherries although there is a bit of a sugary sweetness to be found here as well. Sourness is mild but present in a balancing way so as to not make this overl y sweet or wet. Some tartness enters play in the finish. Somewhat one dimensional but that dimension is done quite well. This lambic lives somewhere between Lindemans and the Oude Geuze of Beersel's past. (581 characters)

Poured into a wine glass. Pours a nice cherry red with a fluffy pinkish head that quickly disintegrates. Aroma is tart lemons and black cherry. Flavor is sour cherries and ascorbic acid, with some cardboard oxidation and a little sweetness. Not the most complex lambic but still solid. (285 characters)

375ml bottle dated 05/28/2011 so this is a 2006 or 2008 possibly. Its got a good lemon and glue aroma with a hint of cherries and sugar. I like it but it is not what I would expect from a kriek lambic. The flavor is more glue and sugary cherries, not sour at all but oddly enjoyable. No hint of funk or barnyard to this at all. (327 characters)

Impressive starting head, dies to thin layer of foam. Leaves no lace. The color is orange-red and properly cloudy

Cherry sweet and lambic sour. The sweet wins this one, coming across like a pie. A lot like hard candy.

Remarkably tart. Where's the sweetness? Reminds me of unripe raspberries. There's a complete absence of sweetness. It also is missing the yeast bite that I've come to expect. Great body with an elevated amount of carbonation. This might be a good match to cheese or a sweet dessert. (502 characters)

S - Smells like cherry skins; has a really ultra-fresh natural cherry smell - the smell of real cherries in all their sweet-and-sour glory, not Jolly Ranchers. Like crushing some cherries in a glass you just bought fresh from a farmers' market. Outstanding.

T - Not the most complex kriek in the world, but very smooth and authentic. Slightly sour, luxurious natural cherry that is only a little sweet - just like biting into an actual cherry. I can note a little leathery Brett if I'm really looking for it, but all in all, not a funk bomb - it's a cherry bomb, and quite a cherry bomb at that. Not as acetic and lactic as its sour, musty older brother, Oud Beersel Oude Kriek.

F - Intensely carbonated, but has a smoother mouthfeel than many lambics, almost a bit creamy by typical lambic standards. I like it.

D - It got a little burpy for me, but maybe that was because I downed it so quickly. This bottle did not last long at all. I could have this one almost every day, especially at 4%. Excellent starter lambic, but also a good accessible, highly drinkable kriek for a more experienced drinker who is unable to have Lou Pepe Kriek or Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek everyday....which probably describes a lot of us. This one's a real winner - the fresh cherry skins are just irresistible. An awesome surprise. I was expecting this to be good, but not *this* good. (1,516 characters)

Poured dark red with a pinkish thick lasting head. Smelled of cherries, sour and slightly funky. Tastes mainly of cherries with a tart kick at the end. Not overly sour, reminded me of a cheaper version (while still real good) of La Folie. All in all a solid lambic. (265 characters)

From a C&C bottle, this poured a rich cheery red with a light pink head and lacing rings that look like glue. Nose is of sour cherry, and the mouthfeel is medium and shows a little carbonation. Flavor is bittersweet and strongly of cherry, while the finish is a classic lambic sourness. An excellent lambic. (307 characters)

Pours a hazy burgundy with a finely beaded head with a pinkish hue. The head sticks around as a thin cap and leaves some lacing. Smells beautifully of sour cherries with a zingy, fresh aroma and deep winey finish. The taste is not merely sweet cherries- there is a softness and a creaminess here that is absolutely delicious. The flavors are relatively simple with some subtle spice notes on the finish and soft cherries and cream. Not overly sweet at all. This 4% beer is a gentle beauty with a soft creaminess in the mouthfeel. Well worth drinking- but its not an extreme beer. (579 characters)

The beer pours a thick opaque burgundy color with a small pink head. It smells immediately of cherry sweetness with a hint of tartness. The flavor is much the same. There is no complexity to this beer. It's all cherry, all sweet. It's almost like a sparkling fruit juice, yet it's beer. The body is on the heavy syrupy side. I feel like I should be feeding this to a child. I wouldn't buy it again. It's older cousin is much better. (432 characters)